John R. Miles

Welcome to Passion Struck.

I'm your host, John Miles.

This is the show where we explore the art of human flourishing and what it truly means to live like it matters.

Each week, I sit down with changemakers, creators, scientists, and everyday heroes to decode the human experience and uncover the tools that help us lead with meaning, heal what hurts, and pursue the fullest expression of who we're capable of becoming.

Whether you're designing your future, developing as a leader, or seeking deeper alignment in your life, this show is your invitation to grow with purpose and act with intention.

Because the secret to a life of deep purpose, connection, and impact is choosing to live like you matter.

Hey friends, and welcome back to episode 728 of Passion Struck.

In our last two conversations, we have been examining how choice culture, the mattering instinct, and inherited identity scripts shape our sense of agency, dignity, and belonging.

often determining who feels significant and who quietly disappears inside modern systems.

Today, we turn to a deeper question.

What does it actually look like when people feel that they matter together?

This episode continues the You Matter series by exploring flourishing as a collective condition, something that emerges when environments are designed to make human presence consequential.

As we move toward the February 24th launch of my upcoming children's book, You Matter, Luma!,

I've been reflecting on how early we learn, whether our attention counts, whether our voice shapes outcomes, and whether our presence changes the room.

Those lessons don't stop in childhood.

They follow us into teams, organizations, communities, and institutions.

That's why my guest today, Daniel Cole, is so important.

Daniel is the bestselling author of The Culture Code and the author of his newest book, Flourish, The Art of Building Meaning, Joy, and Fulfillment.

Daniel spent years embedded inside groups that don't just perform well, they feel unmistakably alive.

From a Chilean mind collapse to a Parisian long table,